Dynamic janus hydrogen bond mimicry unlocks tough, flexible supramolecular elastomers for strain sensing
| Title | Dynamic janus hydrogen bond mimicry unlocks tough, flexible supramolecular elastomers for strain sensing |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2026 |
| Authors | Lakshmi, D, Wagh, MA, Sharma, A, Alam, MShafi, T. Selvan, M, Torris, A, Mondal, T, Sanjayan, GJ, Nair, KSukumaran |
| Journal | Chemistry of Materials |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pagination | 2699-2711 |
| Date Published | MAR |
| Type of Article | Article |
| ISSN | 0897-4756 |
| Abstract | Flexible and wearable electronics demand stretchable sensors with polymer elastomers as key matrixes for mechanical flexibility and durability. However, despite their excellent elasticity, their limited mechanical strength remains a challenge. To address this limitation, in this study, we report the rational design of supramolecular polyurethane elastomers (SPUs) incorporating nucleobase-inspired aminopyrimidinedione with DDA-AAD (G-C mimic) reversible triple hydrogen bonds. This dual-domain architecture gives rise to a durable supramolecular network with enhanced mechanical properties, yielding elastomers that are soft, stretchable, and tough. By tuning of the density of dynamic cross-links, mechanical properties were systematically modulated. SPU-0.5 exhibited a maximum tensile strength of 16.14 MPa, representing a 67-fold strength enhancement over that of SPU-0. Although increasing the aminopyrimidinedione (APD) content reduced elongation, SPU-0.2 retained a high elongation of 1060% and showed the lowest residual strain during cyclic tests. To be of great interest, the activation energy increased with increasing hydrogen bonding content up to SPU-0.1, whereas beyond SPU-0.2 it decreased, likely due to extensive hydrogen bond formation. Furthermore, SPU-0.2-SP, a conductive variant, demonstrated a promising strain-sensing performance even after hundreds of cycles. Overall, the insights gained from this study advance the development of intelligent soft materials and lay the groundwork for next-generation flexible and wearable electronic devices. |
| DOI | 10.1021/acs.chemmater.5c02829 |
| Type of Journal (Indian or Foreign) | Foreign |
| Impact Factor (IF) | 8.1 |

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